


Wild Horses

by trepkos



Category: Arthur of the Britons
Genre: First Kiss, First Time, Flogging, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2017-10-11 02:51:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/107545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trepkos/pseuds/trepkos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur makes it up to Kai for what he has had to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wild Horses

**Author's Note:**

> Set during and after episode 1.10: The Slaves

One.

Damn my pride.

Two.

If I’d submitted at the cliff-face – taken one or two more blows from Rodolph’s whip without complaint –

Three.

… I would not now be splayed upon this rock, for friends and enemies alike to witness this humiliation. 

Four.

And yet, in truth, I’d sooner take twenty such blows, given with love, than one from that venomous snake of a foreman.

Five.

But I’d take a hundred to have saved Kai from this anguish. 

I wait for the next –

Six.

… bite my lip as the lash falls, and will myself to silence.

Pride, again.

Seven.

Perhaps I _should_ cry out, else Rodolph may suspect Kai of going easy on me.

Eight.

If I do, Kai won’t have to lay it on so hard.

Nine.

And yet, my cries may hurt him more than silence.

Ten.

The blow lands on an earlier wound. A scream rips from my throat, whether I will or no, and on the lids of my closed eyes, my heart can see the pain in my Kai’s face. 

Eleven.

My poor friend: forgive me!

Blows rain down faster, giving me no time to prepare.

Kai wants this to be over.

A tear runs down my face, but not for my own suffering.

Then blackness falls, releasing me.

~~

I come to my senses with a start, and – for a moment – fear I heard the sound of Kai’s heart breaking. But it was just the crack of Rodolph’s whip, sending the others to the cliff face once again.

My back feels like I’ve been laid on a griddle.

I pass out.

Later, when Kai finds reason to come near, others are crowding round me; even the girl, Thuna, tending to me.

But who will tend Kai’s wounds?

I dare not give one single word of comfort.

~~

On the way home, we speak but little, holding our pain inside. But when at last we find ourselves in the longhouse, and alone, Kai looks at me with such regret and sorrow in his eyes …

“Arthur … are you alright?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

He huffs, and looks away. “I tried –”

“I know.” I take his hand, and see my blood, dried in the creases of his palm. “Do not torment yourself. I’m to blame, for making you play a part you never wanted. And I would make it up to you – if you’ll allow it.”

Kai blinks slowly, and tilts his head.

Steeling my nerve, I curl my hand around the nape of his neck.

His breath hitches; he trembles as I draw him down towards me. 

Then he kisses me, gentle, open-mouthed, his tongue caressing my lips. He takes a step closer. His hips move against mine, and at last, I know for sure – he feels the way I do.

But then he steps back. “I must see to the horses.”

I can’t breathe.

He leaves me here.

~~

Kai shuts the door and leans against it, overcome. His face feels hot; his heart is pounding in his chest, and – but for the door behind him – he might fall to his knees.

But isn’t this what he’s yearned for, all these years? What? Is he a blushing maid, afraid of getting what he wants?

He knows their horses have been safely stabled; Arthur knows it too. 

They are accountable to no man. 

So why does he delay – unkindly leaving Arthur to wait, and wonder? As he, Kai, has waited and wondered, for so long.

These last few days, there’s been enough unkindness.

Kai takes a deep breath, and goes back inside, to find Arthur sitting at the table, tracing the blemished surface with his dagger.

“I have offended you.” Arthur’s gaze stays focussed on the movements of his weapon’s tip. 

“No. You surprised me, only.”

Arthur looks up. “You didn’t know?”

“I thought … perhaps. But gave up hope that you would ever act upon it.”

Arthur lays his dagger down. “And you dared not.”

Kai feels ashamed. “I dared not.”

Arthur gets to his feet and comes towards him, not taking his eyes from Kai’s face. 

“When I was at that cliff-face, at the point of Rodolph’s blade, knowing I was about to die, my greatest sadness was that we had never …” He breathes a sigh. “And when you put yourself between Rodolph and me, my cowardice sickened me. I resolved that, if we both survived, I would waste no more time.”

“Then neither shall I.”

Arthur’s but one small step away; Kai takes him by the shoulders; kisses him again, and Arthur is kissing back, and this time wild horses couldn’t drag him from this hut. 

They stumble towards the bed.

As Kai helps Arthur out of his tunic, Arthur winces. 

“Let me see.”

Arthur turns, reluctantly. The stiffening welts all down his back make Kai’s heart shrink. He runs a hand down Arthur’s flank. “I tried –”

“I know.” Arthur turns back, and strokes Kai’s cheek. “You saved my life. Now lie down. Let me take care of you.”

Kai drops his gaze. “You need to rest.”

A look of desperate determination in Arthur’s eyes, he tilts Kai’s chin up. “When I’m dead, I’ll rest. Until then –”

Kai cannot deny him. He lies down, and watches Arthur strip him of his boots and breeches. Then Arthur stands at the foot of the bed, looking down at him.

Naked and hard before Arthur, now Kai feels afraid. He sucks in a harsh breath, waiting for that curl of Arthur’s lips; for Arthur to laugh at him, or smirk, like when Kai’s horse went lame.

If Arthur should leave him here like this …

A smile of pure joy lights up Arthur’s handsome face. He kicks off his boots and swarms up the bed. Then Kai feels Arthur’s mouth on his – kissing him like he starves for it as much as Kai. Arthur’s tongue caresses the inside of his mouth – a promise of things to come.

Kai’s heart soars. His senses overflow: the feel of Arthur’s slim, hard body against his – yielding under his hands; his little moans and whimpers of need; his warm, excited eyes. They have spent days working, riding, and fighting for their lives, but to Kai, Arthur smells as sweet as meadow hay. Arthur kisses him as if he’s never wanted anything or anyone but Kai. It feels as though the very earth trembles beneath them.

Then Arthur gets to his knees, and takes Kai in his hand.

Kai has to clench, or come this instant. From his throat comes a sound he doesn’t recognise. He breaks off, and drags air into his lungs. Then he pushes Arthur’s breeches down, and grins like a dog at what he sees.

Arthur straddles him, still smiling. Kai jerks his hips and Arthur shuffles close, so their lengths stand together, one bedded among golden curls, the other in fine sable.

Kai joins his hand with Arthur’s. “Yes.”

Arthur’s eyes fall closed. His head rolls back, as Kai takes control, his long fingers wrapped around Arthur’s hand; around them. He sets a rhythm so slow it almost hurts.

Arthur tries to move their hands faster.

“Now, now,” Kai says. “Don’t rush it.” Then he lets his thumb graze the head of Arthur’s cock.

Arthur gasps, and starts to come, and Kai can’t hold back any longer.

It is wonderful and messy; their shouts have probably frightened the horses, and the gods know what anyone passing by the hut must think.

Kai doesn’t care. But Arthur’s head falls forward. His dark hair hides his face.

Hoping he won’t see a look of shame, Kai brushes aside the silken curtain, and sees Arthur, still smiling; a grin breaks out on Kai’s face once again, and Arthur leans down and kisses him.

It doesn’t get better than this. 

~~

**Author's Note:**

> First archived here: 15 August 2010.  
> Revised: 5 April 2016.
> 
> If you love this show, please join the [Arthur of the Britons Community](http://community.livejournal.com/arthur_britons/profile) on Livejournal.


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